System for Under US$10,000 MSRP

[Solypsa]

Thank you, Peter. But, no, my friend does not want to deal with vintage or used components.

May I ask why? Everything breaks including new stuff at some point.

( Certainly some gear that is 60 years old and well serviced will outlast today's budget specials...)

+1 to @beaur and @zerostargeneral recs.

 

[Holmz]

What speakers would you recommend for something on the slightly warm, slightly smooth side of things?

Vandersteen 2C, or !B for a smaller room.
(not warm, not also not grating and sibilan.)

 

[tima]

I do not understand why a guy with what seems like zero interest in learning about set up wants a turntable and not streaming. How is he going to clean his records? It sounds like he likes music but not hear.

Maybe he is a hypothetical guy modeled after the OP.

 

[treitz3]

10K new for a whole system? Not willing to buy used?

Good luck.

Realistic budgets and goals help. With today's economy? If your friend wants a system like this?

Amazon may be the best bet.

There are components. Then cables. It all adds up VERY quickly, as you and everyone else here knows.

Tom

 

[treitz3]

Used opens up a WHOLE other world at that price point. FWIW.

Tom

 

[Another Johnson]

I do not understand why a guy with what seems like zero interest in learning about set up wants a turntable and not streaming. How is he going to clean his records? It sounds like he likes music but not hear.

I know a lot of people like this. In the vernacular, they’re called “normal people.”

 

[Rexp]

I find it interesting that since I was a dealer in the 90's, budget priorities have changed. For example Ken Kessler recommends spending only 25% of budget on the turntable. So a high end system could look like this:

Project Debut Pro inc Sumiko cartridge $1000
Project Ground turntable support $800
EAR Phonobox preamp $1800
Parasound A21+ pwr amp $4000
Magnepan LRS+ with stands $1300

 

[Holmz]

10K new for a whole system? Not willing to buy used?

Good luck.

Realistic budgets and goals help. With today's economy? If your friend wants a system like this?

Amazon may be the best bet.

There are components. Then cables. It all adds up VERY quickly, as you and everyone else here knows.

Tom

A Lyngdorf TDAI 1120 or 3400 could be worth looking at.
It has a MM input, and all the streaming stuff built in.

it, some speakers, and then one only needs some speaker cables/zip-cords … and they are done.

 

[Argonaut]

He does not want to learn cartridge set-up and alignment. That is why I wrote: "He would like a system where he could just himself pop in a replacement cartridge."

Show your friend this and see what he thinks

However for my part , and in the same vein , I would consider one of these circa 1990 / 1991 :

 

[Ron Resnick]

Used opens up a WHOLE other world at that price point. FWIW.

Tom

Thank you, but please see opening post: ". . . friend of mine in Manhattan would like to purchase a brand new . . ." (emphasis added).

 

[Zuman]

The KEF LS50 Meta is an outstanding "apartment speaker" for the money and their size and design integrates well into multi-use living spaces. At $1600 a pair, that leaves plenty of room in the budget for the other components.

 

[JackD201]

I second Rega because they have that three bolt mount to go with their carts. Screw them in and done. If he were to go with Rega I would recommend the optional power supplies for the lower models that require you to change belt position to go 33.3 or 45.

I likewise second the McIntosh and Luxman recommendations. Easy to use, nothing objectionable for the non-infected LOL, can drive almost anything.

Speakers can be very personal and would depend on the persons habits and space constraints. Any more info on this front aside from on the warm side? All the above qualify to be in the non fatiguing category. Hard to find a decent speaker that might be too bright for these.

 

[Lee]

A Lyngdorf TDAI 1120 or 3400 could be worth looking at.
It has a MM input, and all the streaming stuff built in.

it, some speakers, and then one only needs some speaker cables/zip-cords … and they are done.

Very hard to resell based on a friend’s recent experience.

 

[Lee]

The KEF LS50 Meta is an outstanding "apartment speaker" for the money and their size and design integrates well into multi-use living spaces. At $1600 a pair, that leaves plenty of room in the budget for the other components.

Especially if you go with the active version. Which is why I recommended the Kii 7.

 

[Lee]

EAT C Major turntable with $500 moving magnet cartridge $3,500
Cambridge Audio Evo 150 integrated with phono stage $3,200
MFSL Sourcepoint 8 loudspeakers $3,000
Cables $300

 

[Kingrex]

I bet in the end they end up with a $500 pair of powered speakers, wifi to tbeir laptop and are happy as can be.

 

[Lee]

I bet in the end they end up with a $500 pair of powered speakers, wifi to tbeir laptop and are happy as can be.

Shouldn't we try to give them a better experience though?

 

[Ron Resnick]

I bet in the end they end up with a $500 pair of powered speakers, wifi to tbeir laptop and are happy as can be.

Um, no. My friend is a life-long piano player, sometimes performing at The Cornelia Street Cafe, in Manhattan, New York. He wants convincing sound.

 

[bonzo75]

Um, no. My friend is a life-long piano player, sometimes performing at The Cornelia Street Cafe, in Manhattan, New York. He wants convincing sound.

So you want WBF members to recommend you natural sound, absolute sound, convincing sound under 10k.

 

[Ron Resnick]

So you want WBF members to recommend you natural sound, absolute sound, convincing sound under 10k.

Natural, absolute and convincing as possible -- for under US$10,000 -- yes.

If the answer were easy I would not need to globally crowdsource an answer from this esteemed forum.